Shop Safety Intro to Mechanics

Three questions to ask when starting a job?

Will you get hurt?

Will someone else get hurt?

Will the equipment/tools get hurt?

Eye Protections

Safety Glasses Most eye injuries happen when material flies upward from a piece of machinery such as a saw or grinder. Other eye injuries happen when a person is hit by material (like a board being thrown from a saw) or by a tool. The best eye protection against flying material and eye impacts is industrial quality safety spectacles with side shields

Eye Protection: Safety Glasses Safety glasses and clear face shields provide good eye protection for most lab work.

Face Shields Clear face shields are recommended where there is danger of fragments being thrown at the worker’s face. However, while clear face shields provide excellent face protection, they do not give adequate eye protection. Safety goggles or safety glasses must be worn under the face shield to provide protection against penetrating material.

Eye Protection: Dust, Chemical, Etc. Other eye and face protection devices should also be available in the lab: dust goggles, chemical goggles and chipping goggles.

Eye Protection: Welding Welding requires special filtered lenses for eye protection.

Welding Goggles and Helmets While welding, you have to protect yourself from extreme heat, infrared radiation, and molten metal splashes. Welding helmets and welding goggles have filtering lenses to reduce the amount of radiant energy that reaches the interior of the eye. It is a good idea to wear a set of industrial quality safety spectacles underneath a welding mask to add protection against flying slag and metal chips.

Waaa! Waaa! Waa! EYE PROTECTION. They’re uncomfortable. I can’t work in them. This job will only take a minute. I’ll look weird. No excuse is worth losing your eyesight. Wear appropriate EYE PROTECTION.

Hearing Protection Workplace Noise: Some shop equipment in the agricultural mechanics laboratory can produce noise over 120 decibels, well beyond the safe level for ears without protection. While loud noises at brief intervals does little damage, loud noises for longer amounts of time may cause hearing loss. Acceptable noise levels within the workplace have been established by the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA). Hearing loss may occur if noise exposure exceeds 90 dB for eight hours or 115 dB for 15 minutes during an eight-hour workday. When noise remains below these levels, repeated exposure will not impair the ability to hear normal speech.

OSHA Levels Acceptable noise levels within the workplace have been established by the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA). Hearing loss may occur if noise exposure exceeds 90 dB for eight hours or 115 dB for 15 minutes during an eight-hour workday. When noise remains below these levels, repeated exposure will not impair the ability to hear normal speech.

Decibel Chart

Body Protection Protection from bodily harm means wearing appropriate clothing. In general, wear shirts with long sleeves that are buttoned at the cuff slacks without cuffs, closed-toe shoes or boots without laces. Welding often requires specialized body protection.

Gloves Work Gloves help protect the worker against electrical shock and burns. Gloves should not be worn around moving machinery such as a band saw or metal bender. Instead of protecting the wearer, gloves can get caught in moving parts and drag the student into the equipment.

Hair Long hair should be worn pulled back Prevents a catch hazard Prevents obscuring of vision

Jewelry Should be taken off Loose jewelry can get caught in machinery Rings can get caught on materials and conduct electricity causing an electrical shock or burn

Respiratory Protection Vapors are caused by machinery and chemicals Dust is produced by running equipment Respirators should be worn when dealing with chemicals and when welding in unventilated spaces Dust masks should be worn for any activity that emits a dust cloud

Hard Hats Hard hats should be worn on any job site that has a danger from objects falling from above Construction, factories, and forestry are examples.

Safe Work Habits 1. Check the workplace for hazards and determine what can be done to correct any problems. 2. Wear the proper personal protection equipment for the job. 3. Make sure that the right tools and equipment are present to do the job properly. If another tool will do the job better, use that tool.

Safe Work Habits 4. Make sure the equipment is in proper working condition. Don’t make adjustments to equipment while it is operating. Stop the equipment and disconnect it from its power source; then make the adjustment. 5. When you carry sharp or pointed tools, keep the sharp edge pointed away from your body in case you fall. If possible, carry sharp or pointed tools in a scabbard or cover. 6. Never try to catch a sharp tool that is falling. Let it fall to the ground, then pick it up.

7. After using a tool, wipe it clean and store it for later use. 8. Do not lay tools on tops of ladders or other areas where they could fall on someone below. 9. Never throw or pitch tools to people. Walk over and hand it to them. 10. When handing someone a tool, make sure that he or she has a firm grip on the tool before you release it. * Let your best safety precautions become so automatic that they become habits that you use every day

Common sense is your best protection.